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Seward staff presents draft to fund pool at $200,000 a year; council and residents urge keeping lessons and staff continuity
Summary
City staff previewed a draft agreement in which Seward would provide roughly $200,000 annually to keep the municipal pool operating while the borough retains ownership and the school district handles staffing; residents stressed continuation of swim lessons and praised the pool manager. Staff will negotiate terms and return a final agreement before the district fiscal year end.
City staff outlined a draft memorandum of understanding for the municipal pool at a Seward City Council work session, proposing that the city provide annual funding while the Kenai Peninsula Borough maintains ownership and the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District retains operational responsibility and hires pool staff. "We're proposing funding this the pool for $200,000 a year," a staff member said when summarizing the draft contract terms.
Staff explained the $200,000 estimate covers utilities, pool staff and supplies, and suggested the draft contract would include an annual fee schedule (to be set by resolution) that the borough and district would help manage to offset the city contribution. Staff also noted the pool's current 710 account balance is about $159,000 and said negotiating the use of that account could reduce the city's immediate outlay.
Residents urged the city to keep the pool open and to preserve swim lessons and locker‑room access. "Our 710 account is one of the healthiest out of all the schools…you couldn't ask for a better pool manager," Sarah Tunis told the council, praising the existing staff and urging continuity if the contract changes. Another commenter noted neighboring jurisdictions have used mill‑rate increases to keep pools open, underscoring the cost pressures local governments face.
Staff said the borough and the school district must still approve any final agreement and that negotiations will proceed in the coming weeks; staff expect to bring a finalized contract back for approval before the district's fiscal year end on June 30. The work session included no formal vote on pool funding.
